The International Criminal Court (ICC) has delivered a verdict against an al-Qaeda-affiliated leader for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Mali, specifically in the city of Timbuktu between 2012 and 2013.
Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud, aged 46, was found guilty of various charges, including torture, rape, sexual slavery, and the destruction of religious and historical structures.
He could potentially face a life sentence once the sentencing phase takes place in the future.
Prosecutors revealed that Al Hassan played a significant role in Ansar al-Din, a group linked to al-Qaeda, which controlled northern Mali in 2012.
During his time as the police chief, Al Hassan was accused of overseeing brutal punishments like amputations and beatings, while Ansar al-Din, in alliance with the main Tuareg rebel faction, took over Timbuktu for almost a year.
His defense attorney, Melinda Taylor, argued that Al Hassan was simply following the decisions of the Islamic tribunal as a member of the Islamic police force.
However, prosecutors painted a different picture during the trial, describing a period of terror and violence inflicted on the citizens of Timbuktu under Al Hassan’s command.
Particularly, women and girls suffered greatly, enduring physical abuse and imprisonment under Ansar al-Din’s rule, as stated by the former chief prosecutor of the court, Fatou Bensouda, at the beginning of Al Hassan’s trial years ago.
Al Hassan stands accused of forcing women and girls into marriages with fighters, subjecting some to repeated sexual assaults, and actively participating in the public flogging of women accused of adultery.
Victims of Ansar al-Din’s atrocities in Timbuktu are now anticipating potential compensation as they seek justice for the horrors they endured.
Yehia Hamma Cisse, the president of a group representing victims’ associations in the Timbuktu region, expressed hope for a fair judgment that would bring closure to their suffering.
Al Hassan becomes the second Malian leader to face trial at the ICC for his involvement in…
Link from www.aljazeera.com